Austwick lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Old stone houses face the small village green; in the landscape around the village, glacial erratics and ancient field terraces also tell of very different traces. This brings together a village with distinctive buildings and a landscape whose geological and historical details can be explored in different ways.
Village Green and Architectural History
There are many listed buildings in the parish of Austwick, including some dating from the 17th century. The old stone houses opposite the small green give the village a distinctive architectural character. Two named buildings add to this picture, but represent different kinds of history: Austwick Hall is a Grade II listed house dating from the 17th century, altered in the 19th century. The Church of the Epiphany is also Grade II listed. Originally a lecture hall, it now serves as the parish church.
The history of the Church of the Epiphany can be marked by two dates: it was built for Charles Ingleby in 1839; an apse-shaped chancel was added in 1883. Austwick Hall, in turn, combines a 17th-century building with later alterations. Together with the many listed buildings in the parish, these examples offer insight into Austwick’s architectural history, although the two buildings do not share the same function or period of construction.
Erratics and Historic Landscape
The Norber Erratics are classic examples of glacial erratics. Literally hundreds of large Silurian slate blocks lie on a limestone plateau. A glacier carried them there from the western slopes of Crummackdale during the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. The erratics therefore tell the story of glacier movement; west of Austwick, the Lynchets tell of a different trace in the landscape: this is the name given to the ancient agricultural terraces found there.
The surroundings of other named places also have their own features. The Neolithic long cairn at Dudderhouse Hill is surrounded by limestone pavement, steep slopes, short cliffs and scree slopes. A path leads from Thwaite Lane to the foot of the limestone scree slopes of Robin Proctor’s Scar. The erratics, ancient terraces and these scree slopes are therefore different landscape features, not simply other names for the same geological feature.
Circular Walks and Route Planning
A circular walk through Austwick, to the Norber Erratics, through Crummackdale and to Feizor starts and ends at The Green in Austwick. Check the published route details locally before setting out. The Austwick Amble includes a loop described as a “senior walk”: it is about 8 miles (13 kilometres) long, with a total ascent of 1,200 feet (370 metres). The first 4 miles run through the limestone landscape of Crummackdale. Also check event details before your trip. The distance and elevation gain provide specific figures for planning your own route, while the routes mentioned have different starting points and itineraries.
If you choose Austwick for a trip, these differences can help you decide what to focus on: village history and buildings shape the cultural view of the place; erratics, terraces and limestone formations offer a way to explore the landscape. For planning a day’s walk, the start and end points described, along with the approximate figures for the Amble loop, provide useful guidance. Use only the route details that apply to each walk, and check the route information before setting out.
Discover more destinations: York, Thornton Dale, Selby, Cononley, Reeth, Busby, Kildale, Danby.
For the broader travel overview: North Yorkshire.
